Robertson's role takes on struggle in 'Dome'

When ‘Under the Dome' actress Britt Robertson talked to reporters during production of the locally
filmed series' fourth episode back in April, there she was, still in that underground bunker. Photo by
Michael Tackett/CBS

Published: Saturday, June 29, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, June 28, 2013 at 1:21 p.m.

It's only been one episode, but Angie McAlister has not fared well under the dome.

The sharp-witted young waitress and hospital volunteer was chained to a bedpost inside a 10-foot-tall bomb-shelter by her fling – a young man named Junior who's played by Hollywood newcomer Alex Koch – and there's no end to her captivity in sight.

When "Under the Dome" actress Britt Robertson talked to reporters during production of the locally filmed series' fourth episode back in April, there she was, still in that underground bunker.

Angie's feisty nature, and her desire to get as far as possible from her town, makes the dilemma all the more painful for her character, Robertson said, but the kidnapping is a lot of fun to portray.

"She's a pure fighter," the Charlotte native said. "Almost all of my scenes have been physical so far, and I haven't gotten to do a lot of that in other jobs, so I'm really going for it."

Angie's struggle in the bomb shelter – trapped, with seemingly no way out – isn't that much different from that of the other residents of Chester's Mill, which was abruptly and mysteriously sealed off from the rest of the world by a large, transparent dome in the first episode.

"It's sort of interesting to see kind of the good and bad of people, and how the dome brings that out in everyone," Robertson said. "Angie is sort of in this dome inside of the dome being in the fallout shelter. You'd think that that would bring out the bad in her – you've seen the sort of promiscuous side of her from the start – but it actually makes her be a better person ultimately. She has to start making really quick survivor choices, and if she ever does get out of that shelter, then maybe she can apply that to the real world."

And if she does get out, maybe she'll get to touch the dome. At the recent Wilmington premiere at Thalian Hall, Robertson revealed that more than halfway through the 13-episode season, she was still one of the few regular cast members yet to interact directly with the all-important plot device.

And if Angie doesn't make it out? The show did already kill off one character at the end of the first episode.

Robertson said even she's in the dark about her character's fate. But if it's Angie's time to go, the actress has one request.

"It better be a cool death," she said. "I'd better go down with a fight."

<p>It's only been one episode, but Angie McAlister has not fared well under the dome. </p><p>The sharp-witted young waitress and hospital volunteer was chained to a bedpost inside a 10-foot-tall bomb-shelter by her fling – a young man named Junior who's played by Hollywood newcomer Alex Koch – and there's no end to her captivity in sight.</p><p>When "Under the Dome" actress Britt Robertson talked to reporters during production of the locally filmed series' fourth episode back in April, there she was, still in that underground bunker.</p><p>Angie's feisty nature, and her desire to get as far as possible from her town, makes the dilemma all the more painful for her character, Robertson said, but the kidnapping is a lot of fun to portray.</p><p>"She's a pure fighter," the Charlotte native said. "Almost all of my scenes have been physical so far, and I haven't gotten to do a lot of that in other jobs, so I'm really going for it." </p><p>Angie's struggle in the bomb shelter – trapped, with seemingly no way out – isn't that much different from that of the other residents of Chester's Mill, which was abruptly and mysteriously sealed off from the rest of the world by a large, transparent dome in the first episode.</p><p>"It's sort of interesting to see kind of the good and bad of people, and how the dome brings that out in everyone," Robertson said. "Angie is sort of in this dome inside of the dome being in the fallout shelter. You'd think that that would bring out the bad in her – you've seen the sort of promiscuous side of her from the start – but it actually makes her be a better person ultimately. She has to start making really quick survivor choices, and if she ever does get out of that shelter, then maybe she can apply that to the real world."</p><p>And if she does get out, maybe she'll get to touch the dome. At the recent Wilmington premiere at <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9941"><b>Thalian Hall</b></a>, Robertson revealed that more than halfway through the 13-episode season, she was still one of the few regular cast members yet to interact directly with the all-important plot device.</p><p>And if Angie doesn't make it out? The show did already kill off one character at the end of the first episode. </p><p>Robertson said even she's in the dark about her character's fate. But if it's Angie's time to go, the actress has one request. </p><p>"It better be a cool death," she said. "I'd better go down with a fight."</p><p>StarNews intern Nicolien Buholzer contributed to this report.</p><p>Cassie Foss: 343-2365</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @WilmOnFilm</p>